Review: ‘Notes on a Scandal’ an Intriguing, if Creepy Film, with Great Performances from Cate Blanchett and Judi Dench

Occasionally a movie comes along that strikes you as poignant, or extraordinary in some shape or form, and the most remarkable thing about it is that you don’t recall it getting much buzz in the Box Office. The blockbusters come and go, but these movies, these elusive films, can offer some of the best storytelling or entertainment you’ve never seen if you don’t happen to stumble across them.

“Notes on a Scandal” (2002), starring Judi Dench (“GoldenEye,”) and Cate Blanchett (“The Talented Mr. Ripley,”), aptly lives up to its name. Set in a high school against the dreary backdrop of London, we are introduced to the characters: Dench plays Barbara Covett, a veteran teacher at a posh school, who has long since become jaded to the issue of “higher education.” She narrates an opening scene, referring to children coming into school at the beginning of a new term as future “degenerates and criminals.” “We used to confiscate cigarettes and wack mags…now we confiscate knifes and crack-cocaine.” She is lonely, decidedly bitter, and a topic of hushed conversations for other teachers at the school.

Dench and Blanchett Give Powerful Performances

Opposite Dench, Blanchett plays Sheba Hart, a newcomer to the school trying to navigate her way into her new job. She is an art teacher, and it is here that we see she is a bit of an enigma — she is young, 37, set against the elder Barbara and similar teachers. In fact only the Headmaster, who plays a minimal role, is comparable to her age. We also see that she is married to a man much her senior (Bill Nighy, “Love, Actually). Two children, the girl, a teenager and the son, having Down Syndrome, round out the picture. They have a close-knit, cozy life; one Barbara is both put off by, as well as attracted to. Her only solace, we see, are daily entries into a diary, notating her life, lacking the connectedness and love that Hart seems to come across so easily.

The ‘notes’ accounted for, the movie need only lay the ‘scandal’ — and that it does. On the night of a school play, Barbara, monitoring the halls, spies Sheba engaged in a tryst with a student (Andrew Simpson) from her art class. Barbara discovers that has been going on for weeks, under the noses of the Headmaster, Hart’s husband, and just about everybody. Confronting Hart about her indiscretion sets the stage for the scandal, and the rest of the film — she will keep her mouth shut about it, in exchange for Hart’s friendship. This “friendship,” loosely defined, becomes the clay from which a decidedly creepy set of events is soon cast.

‘Notes’ Details a Slippery Slope

The movie then begins to travel down a slope we may have saw coming, but can’t help feeling drawn into nonetheless. Hart becomes increasingly drawn to Barbara, at first out of interest, and finally out of desperation, as her life begins to spin violently out of control. That her indiscretion will be discovered is almost a perquisite of the film — however, it is the how and when that both fascinates us and draws us in. By the time we, as Hart, discover that Barbara’s aims are less than honorable, and is responsible for much of the misfortune Hart suffers, it is too late to turn back for both her and us.

Cate Blanchett and Andrew Simpson in “Notes on a Scandal” (Photo: Searchlight Pictures).

Apart from being an enticing suspense-thriller, “Notes on a Scandal” also showcases powerhouse performances by all involved. Supporting characters such as Nighy do a splendid job, but the real gems are the performances Blanchet and Dench bring to the table. Blanchett plays the part of the unsuspecting (albeit foolish) Hart all too well. You’ll find yourself sympathizing with her, even when she’s in the wrong, and even if she could have avoided much of the misfortune that befalls her. She’s an unlikely victim, but a victim nonetheless.

An Easy Film to Recommend

However, of the two, Dench brings the absolute most to the film — you will be both drawn to her loneliness in early parts of the film, and absolutely repulsed by her actions if latter sections. As she degenerates from a reclusive ally to a dangerous adversary, you’ll be less inclined to notice her sweet side, though you can’t really hate her. Her performance is reminiscent of Matt Damon’s in “The Talented Mr. Ripley.” While a different set of circumstances, Dench’s performance, as the movie itself, will both captivate you singularly while sending chills up your spine.

“Notes on a Scandal” is an easy one to recommend — both for fans of the suspense-thriller category (it’s based on a book, “What Was She Thinking:  Notes on a Scandal” by Zoë Heller) and those who like thorough character development. The movie isn’t fast-paced, but slow and steady. Rent it and strap in for the ride… you won’t be led astray.